Artificial leg.



B. B0WLER.

unncmt LEG. APPLICATION FILED MAR 29, 19I9.

1,323,444. Patented Dec. 2,1919.

Q Q Q5 sinner rrrcn.

h Specification of Letters Patent.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

Patented pen. a, rare.

- Application filed March L29, 1919. Serial No. 286,104.

To all whom it may concern 1 Be it known that I, BARTHOLOMEW BowLnn, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of the cityof Toronto, county'of YorlnProvince of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Legs, of which the following a specification.

This invention relates particularlyto legs suitable for use with what are known as Symes amputations, that is, cases in which thefoot has been removed at or about the ankle joint. In such cases the great difficulty has been to supply a leg which would not be bulky and'clumsy at or above the.

ankle joint and my object is to devise a leg which will possess the desired neatness with out sacrificing strength. I attain my object by means of the constructions hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- V Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a leg constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 a rear elevation of the metal parts of the shank portion of the leg; and

Fig.3 a plan view of the under side of the metal base of the shank with the pivot pin of the ankle joint shown in section.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

The shank portion of the leg as shown in Fig. 1 is formed, as is usual with Symes amputations, of a leather casing 1 and a metal frame work. The opening of the leather casing, however, is located at the side instead of at the front.

The metal frame work comprises straps 2, which are secured respectively to the back and front of the casing 1 and are integrally connected with the metal base 3, which base is preferably saucer shaped as shown. With this arrangement the transverse thickness of the shank portion of the leg particularly at or near the ankle oint is very considerably reduced as compared with ordinary constructions, and a much neater effect is obtained. At the same time, owing to the arrangementand construction of the metal parts, suiilcient strength is obtained.

The pivotal connection between the shank portion and the foot 4 is formed of a pivot pin 5, which rests in an open bearing 6 formed in the foot. Both the bearing and the shoulder 7 in front thereof are covered with leather to give a cushioning effect when the wearers weight is on the foot.

The pivot pin is formed of'a tube suitably connected by welding or brazing with the base 3 so as to be in effect integral there with. Within this tube is fitted a cylindrical bolt head 8. The stem 9 of the bolt is threaded into the bolt head and extends out through a slot 10 formed in the tubular pin. Felt plugs 11 saturated with a lubricant are fitted in the ends of the tubular pin as shown particularly in F 3 to provide suitable lubrication for the cylindrical bolt head. The stem 9 extends through a hole in the foot to a recess 12 where it is set up with nut and washer 13 engaging the shoulder farmed by the bottom of the recess. Behind the pivot pin is formed a cup 14 integral with the metal base. Into this cup is. fitted the upper end of a rubber cushion 15, which is inserted in a recess in the foot. An elastic cushion is thus provided when the weight of the wearer is on the heel of the foot. To limit the forward rocking movement of the shank on the ankle joint and to take the strain off the belt of the ankle joint I provide the .restrainer 16, which is preferably of wire. leather covered, which passes into a hole formed in the heel of the foot and engages a transverse pin 17. The upper end of the restrainer is formed with an eye which engages a button 18 formed at the lower end of a slide 19 which works in a guide 20 formed on the rear strap 2. A set screw 21 is threaded into the guide and is adapted to engage any one of the holes 22 formed in the slide 19. Any stretch or slack in the restrainer may thus be taken up at any time.

The foot 4 may, except as hereinbefore described, be of any ordinary construction and with or without a toe joint.

From the above description it will be seen that I have devised an artificial leg which will satisfactorily attain the objects of my invention as set out in the preamble to this specification.

What I claim as my invention is:

' 1. In an artificial leg. the combination of a shank casing of flexible material; a metal base therefor; two metal straps integral with the base and extending respectively up the back and front of the shank casing and secured thereto; a foot; and pivotal connections between the foot and shank casing base including a pivot pin integrally connected with the metal base. 7 o

2. In an artificial leg, the combination of a shank casing; a metal base therefor; two

5 metal straps integral with the base and extending respectively up the back and front of the shank casing; a foot; pivotal connections between the foot and shank casing base; a cup integral with the shank casing base behind said pivotal connections; and a rubber cushion fitting into the cup and engaging the foot. 7

v 3. In an artificial leg, the combination of a shank casing; a metal base therefor; two metal straps integral with the base and extending respectively up the back and front of the shank casing; a foot; and pivotal connections between the foot and shank casing base comprising a tubular hinge pin integral with the shank casing base; an open bearing for said hinge pin; a cylindrical bolt head journaled in said pin; a bOlhStGlll connected with said head and passing through the foot; and a nut for setting up said bolt.

4. In an artificial leg, the combination of a shank casing; a metal base therefor; two metal straps integral with the base and extending respectively up the back and front of the shank casing; a foot; pivotal connections between the foot and shank casing base comprising a tubular hinge pin integral with the shank casing base, an open bearing for said hinge pin, a cylindrical bolt head journaled in said pin, a bolt stem connected with said head and passing through the foot, and a nut for setting up said bolt; a cup integral with the shank casing base behind said pivotal'connections; and a rubber tending respectively up the backand front of the shank casing; a foot; pivotal connections between the foot and shankcasing base; afiexible restrainer secured at its lower end to the heel of the foot; and an adjustable'-connection between the upper end of the restrainer and the rear metal strap. p

7. .In an artificial leg, the'combination of a shank casing; a metal base therefor; two metal straps integral with the base and extending respectively up the back and front of the shank casing; afoot; pivotal connections between thefoot and shank casing base; a flexible 'restrainer secured at its lower end tothe heel of the foot; a guide secured to the back of the rear metal strap; a slide vertically movable in the guide; means for clamping the slide in the guide in any one ofa plurality of positions; a button on the slide; and an eye on the upper end of the restrainer loosely fitting over the button. 7 V

Signed at the city ofToronto this 21st day of March, A. D; 1919. V I

BARTHOLOMEW- BOWLER. 

